Absorption type portable air conditioning unit



July 1948. c. c..cooNs ABSORPTION TYPE PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONING UNITFiled Nov. 16, 1942 INVENTOR' @Mi? 6. w

2 Sheets-Sheet l July '6, 1948. c. c. COONS 2,444,694

ABSORPTION TYPE PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT INVENTCR @UFIJIS 6 (00/28Patented July 6, 1948' ABSORPTION TYPE PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONING UNITCurtis C. Coons, North Canton, hio, assignor to The Hoover Company,North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application November 16, 1942, Serial No. 465,685 7Claims. (Cl. 62-129) This invention relates to the art of airconditioning and more particularly to an air conditioning apparatuswhich utilizes an absorption refrigerating apparatus of the heatoperated type.

It is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide an airconditioning apparatus utilizing an absorption refrigerating apparatusof the three-fluid type so constructed and arranged that therefrigerating apparatus may be positioned within a cabinet having a lowvertical height so i that the same may conveniently be placed adjacentor beneath the window opening of a residence or oflice.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an airconditioner utilizing a heat'operated' refrigerating apparatus of theabsorption type characterized by the provision of distinct air ducts forthe conditioned air and for the cooling air which serves to dissipatethe heat rejected by the condenser and absorber and utilizing a singlepower operated element for circulating the various air streams.

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide an airconditioning apparatus utilizing a heat operated refrigerating system towhich energy is applied by the combustion of a combustible fuel and inwhich the apparatus is so constructed and arranged that the combustiblefuel burning element is shielded from pressure fluctuations occurringbetween the space housing the air conditioning apparatus and thedischarge of the products of combustion flue.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an airconditioning apparatus of the portable type utilizing a heat operatedrefrigerating system which includes a combustible fuel burner, aproducts of combustion discharge element which is arranged to conveywaste products of combustion to the exterior of the space housing theportable air conditioner and with an air supply duct which suppliescombustion air to the heating element from the area immediatelyadjoining the discharge of the waste products of combustion flue.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the refrigeratingsystem per se;

Figure 2 is a cut-away view of the air conditioning unit illustratingthe arrangement of certain parts thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale of a burner and itsassociated housing;

Figure 4 is a sectional side elevational view of the apparatus showingthe placement of the various parts thereof in detail, and

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevational view of the apparatusillustrating further detail as to the placement of parts and thearrangement of a particular form of the apparatus in conjunction withthe Window opening of a space to be conditioned. Referring now to thedrawing in detail and first to Figure 1 thereof, there is illustrated athreefluid absorption refrigerating apparatus embodying a generator B,an analyzer D, an air cooled rectifier R, a tubular air cooled condenserC, a tubular air cooled absorber A, an evaporator E, a gas heatexchanger G, a solution reservoir S, a solution heat exchanger L, and agas circulating pump or fan F which is driven by an electrical motor M.These elements are connected by suitable conduits to form a plurality ofgas and liquid circuits to be described more fully hereinafter.

The above described refrigerating apparatus will be charged with asuitable refrigerant, such as ammonia, an absorbent therefor, such aswater, and an inert pressure equalizing medium,

preferably a dense gas such as nitrogen.

The boiler is heated by a means to be described more fully hereinafter.The application of heat to the boiler liberates vapor from the strongsolution therein contained. Vapor is then conveyed through the analyzerand conduit ll containing the rectifier to the upper portion of thecondenser C wherein it is liquefied by atmospheric air and condensed tothe liquid phase. The liquid collecting in the condenser then flowsthrough the deep U-shaped trap conduit l2 to the bottom portion of theevaporator E.

The lean solution formed in the boiler by the evolution of refrigerantvapor is conveyed therefrom to the solution reservoir S by way ofconduit l3, liquid heat exchanger L, and conduit M. The solution is thenelevated from the reservoir S to the upper portion of the absorber A bythe gas lift pump conduit I5. Pumping gas is conducted to conduit l5 byconduit it which is connected to the discharge conduit I! of thecirculating fan F. The upper gas space of the reservoir S is vented byconduit I8 to the upper portion of the absorber.

The lean solution supplied to the upper portion of the absorber flowsdownwardly therethrough by gravity in counterflow relationship with amixture of inert gas and-refrigerant vapor which is supplied to thebottom portion of the absorber in a manner to be described hereinafter.The solution absorbs refrigerant vapor from the mixture and theresulting heat of absorption isdissipated through cooling fins on theexterior of the absorber to the atmospheric air. Strong solution formedin the absorber gravitates to the bottom portion thereof from whichpoint it is conveyed to the upper portion of the analyzer D by way ofthe conduit 20, liquid heat exchanger L, and conduit 2|.

The upper portion of the absorber A connects directly to thesuctioninlet of the circulating fan F wherein the lean inert gas isplaced under pressure and is then conveyed to the bottom portion of theevaporator E by way of conduit H, gas heat exchanger G, and conduit .22to which the liquid supply conduit l2 connects. The evaporator conduitis of rather small diameter and the inert gas flows upwardlytherethrough with sufficient pressure and velocity to sweep or drag theliquid refrigerant upwardly through the evaporator as it is evaporatingto produce a refrigerating effect. After traversing the evaporator theresulting rich mixture of inert gas and refrigerant vapor is conveyedtherefrom to the bottom portion of the absorber A by means of theconduit 23, gas heat exchanger G and conduit 24.

The condenser side of the trap in the conduit I2 is vented by means ofconduit 25 to the gas discharge conduit 23 of the evaporator.

The lowermost conduit of the evaporator is provided with an overflowdrain 26 which is connected to the strong solution return conduit 20.

The type of evaporator disclosed above is disclosed and claimed inapplication Serial No. 386,395, filed April 2, 1941, now Patent No.2,328,- 196, dated August 31, 1943. However; other types of evaporatorsmay be used if desired without departing from this invention.

In the refrigerating system just described the evaporator is positionedbeneath the condenser and absorber, and the liquid refrigerant flows bygravity into the bottom portion of the evaporator and is elevatedtherethrough by the inert gas as it is evaporating. Foreign material andnonvolatile material which is conveyed through the evaporator by theinert gas flows through the inert gas circuit to the bottom portion ofthe absorber where the same is discharged into the solution circuit.

The above described refrigerating system is assembled with the cabinetof a portable air conditioning unit in a manner illustrated in Figures2, 4 and 5.

Though a particular refrigerating system has been described in detailherein, it is to be understood that other types of heat operatedrefrigerating systems may be utilized in conjunction with this apparatusand in particular in conjunction with the combustion regulatin apparatusto be described hereinafter.

The conditioning cabinet comprises a base structure 30 which willnormally rest upon the.

floor in the room to be air conditioned. The conditioning cabinet properincludes a front machinery chamber 3i which is provided with arearwardly extending casing 32.

The rear and bottom walls of the extending portion 32 are provided withlouvres as is indicated at 33. In'teriorly a partition 35 divides thechamber 32 into an upper condenser receiving air pass portion 38 andinto a lower absorber receiving air pass portion 31. A partition 38 cutsoff a portion of the louvres 33 and serves also as one of the definingwalls of the chamber 31. The partitions 35 and 38 are joined by avertical panel 39 which is provided with an opening 40 adjacent the eyeof a centrifugal fan 4|. A partition 42 forms the back wall of the fanhousin and also forms an air passageway leading from the fan 4| into theinner end of the passage 36. In operation the fan draws cooling air inthrough the louvres 33 across the absorber into the eye of the fan whichthen discharges the air into the passageway 36 across the condenserafter which it exits through other of the louvres 33.

The front portion of the cabinet 3| is provided with louvres 44 whichopen into an evaporator encasing chamber 45 defined by the partition 41and a fan receiving housing 48. The panel 47 is provided with louvres 48whereby fresh air admitted through the louvres 33 forwardly of andbeneath the partition 38 may pass through the housing 3| and louvres 49into the chamber 45. The evaporator E is positioned in the forwardportion of the chamber 45. The fan housing 48 has a central eye 50opening into the chamber 45. Within the housing 48 there is a fan 5iwhich discharges conditioned air through a grill 52 positioned in theupper forward portion of the chamberSl.

A suitable electrical motor 53 is arranged to drive the fans 4! and 5!.The motor is mounted upon an angle iron pedestal 54 which is secured tothe casing 3 l. i

The boiler B and analyzer D are positioned in the lower forward portionof the casing 3| adjacent the panel 41.

The boiler B is provided centrally thereof with a products of combustionflue 56 which connects to a discharge flue 51. The flue 51 extends tothe right hand end wall of the casing 31, as viewed in Figure 2, andthen passes through the right hand lower corner of the condenser chamber31 and discharges at the rear portion of the casing 32 outside thelimits thereof.

Referring now to Figure 3 there is illustrated a segment of theboiler-analyzer structure. A suitable combustible fuel burner, such as agas burner-H, is positioned to discharge products of combustion into theboiler combustion tube 55. The projecting end of the tube 56 and theburner H are encased in a sealed sheet metal housing 53 which is securedto the boiler structure in any suitable manner. The housing 58 isprovided with a hand opening and closure 59 to allow access to theburner for adjustment and the like. Gas is supplied to the burner Hthrough a conduit 63 which enters the casing 58 through a sealinggrommet 6i. Combustion air is supplied to the interior of the casing 58by a conduit 62 which extends from the casing 58 to the exterior of theprojecting portion 32 of the cabinet 3| adjacent to and directly besidethe products of combustion discharge flue 51. Both primary and secondaryair for the burner H are drawn from the exterior through the conduit 62into the chamber 58 where they serve to support the comwardly over thesill 10 of a window forming portion of the walls H of a building. Thelower sash of the window 12 rests upon the upper surface of the casing32. Suitable gaskets may be provided to insure an air seal between thecasing 32 and the elements of the window. Also collapsible side wingsmay be provided if desired on the casing 32 inorder that the same willseal of the casing and open exteriorly thereof to the atmosphere outsidethe space being conditioned. A small amount of outside air is brought inthrough the louvres 33 beneath the panel 38, passes through the mainbody of the casing 3| and then passes through the louvres 49 and thepanel 41 to admix with the room air being circulated across theevaporator E. If desired, a suitable damper, such as aslide damper, maybe provided on the panel 41 to control the opening 49 and thus regulatethe quantity of outside air which is permitted to mix with the room airbeing circulated across the evaporator.

The frame 54 of the apparatus includes a forwardly projecting baseportion I5, 16, see Figure 2, which supports the boiler-analyzer burnerassembly to which it is suitably secured by any desired means, notshown. I

The present invention provides an efiective heat operated portable airconditioning unit. By the particular refrigerating system disclosed theover-all dimensions of the apparatus are reduced to an extent such thatthey will flt readily within a cabinet having a vertical dimension smallenough to allow the same to be positioned beneath the window of aresidence or to be positioned upon a standard with a portion of thecabinet structure extending through the window to position the heatdissipating portions of the apparatus without the space beingconditioned.

In accordance with the present invention a single power operated unit isprovided .which circulates an inside air stream over the evaporator andsets up an air circulation within the space being conditioned and alsoinduces a circulation of atmospheric air through a U-shaped path of flowin which the atmospheric air picks up the heat of absorption from theabsorber and then the heat of condensation from the con-.

denser and is ultimately returned to the exterior.

The arrangement of the heater for the generator, the products ofcombustion flue and the air supply conduit are of particularsignificance. The products of combustion are discharged to the outsideof the space being conditioned where they will not tend to foul theair'with odorous combustion products and will not tend to heat the airwithin the space being conditioned. Likewise the air supplied to thecombustion de- 1 charge of toxic gases into the space being condivice isoutside air, thereby avoiding use of conof combustion to discharge intothe space being conditioned, or will blow out the flame on the burner orsuck the flame ofi the burner into the combuston tube, all of whichconditions create tioned. Withthe present arrangement, however, thepressure of the air supplied to the burner H is always the same as thestatic pressure prevailing in the combustion tube 56 of the boiler asthe products of combustion are discharged into exactly the same regionfrom which the combustion air is supplied to the apparatus,

'so that pressure differentials between the atmosphere and the spaceundergoing conditioning, fiuctuationsin pressure caused by wind and thelike will have no efiect whatsoever upon the burner which will operatewith the steady flame and steady output of heat independently of theabove noted variables and will provide absolute protection against flameextinguishment, creation of explosion hazards and will also insure thattoxic products will not be discharged into the conditioned-air stream orinto the space to be conditioned.

Whfleenly one embodiment of the invention has been shown and describedherein, it is apparent that various changes may be made in thearrangement and construction of parts without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing; an absorptionrefrigerating system associated'with said casing comprising anevaporator, a condenser, an absorber, a generator and a fluid circulatorconnected in circuit; said refrigerating system being so constructed andarranged that the condenser, evaporator and absorber all have partsthereof positioned at substantially the same elevation; a combustiblefuel burner for supplying heat to said generator; means for producing aflow of air to be conditioned over said evaporator; means for producinga flow of atmospheric air over said condenser and said absorber; meansfor discharging waste products of combustion to the atmosphere; andmeans for protecting said burner from air pressure fluctuations.

2. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet having a portionarranged to be supported from the floor of a room to be air conditionedand a portion arranged to project through a window opening of the roomto be air conditioned; means within said cabinet providing a passagewayfor air to be conditioned and a passageway for cooling air in saidprojecting portion; a heat operated refrigerating system in said cabinetincluding a heat operated part, a cooling unit in said passageway forair to be conditioned and a heat rejecting part in said passageway forcooling air; a fuel burner arranged to apply heat to said heat operatedpart; a flue passing through said projecting portion of said cabinet andarranged to discharge products of combustion which have heated said heatoperatedpart to the atmosphere; and a duct passing through saidprojecting portion of said cabinet and arranged to convey atmosphericair to said fuel burner.

3. Portable air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having afirst portion adapted to be positioned within a space to be conditionedand a second portion'adapted to extend through a window into theexterior atmosphere, a heat operated refrigerating apparatus associatedwith said casing including a cooling unit in said first portion and heatrejecting means in said second portion, means for circulating air to beconditioned through said first portion of said casing and outside airthrough said second portion of said casing, a combustible fuel burnerfor applying heat to said refrigerating apparatus, and means extendingthrough said second portion of said casing for conveying atmospheric airto said fuel burner and for discharging waste products of combustion tothe exterior atmosphere, said apparatus being so constructed andarranged that said last mentioned means opens to the exterior atmosphereaway from the direct path of flow of air through said second portion ofsaid casing.

4. Portable air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing havinga firstportion adapted to be positioned within a space to be conditioned and asecond portion adapted to extend through a window into the exterioratmosphere, a heat operated refrigerating apparatus associated with saidcasing including a cooling unit in said first portion and heat rejectingmeans'in said second portion, means for circulating air to beconditioned through said first portion of said casing and outside airthrough said second portion of said casing, means providing a path offlow of outside air into said second portion and through said casinginto the space being air conditioned, a combustible fuel burner forapplying heat to said refrigerating apparatus positioned in the path offlow of said air flowing from said second portion into the said space,means extending through said second portion of said casing for conveyingatmospheric air to said fuel burner and for discharging waste productsof combustion to the exterior atmosphere, and means arranged to preventair flowing from said second portion into said space from flowing intosaid burner air supply and products of combustion disposal means.

5. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a housing structure includingmeans forming a passageway for air to be conditioned and means forming apassageway for air to and from the exterior of the space to beconditioned; a' heat operated air conditioning system associated withsaid casing including heat transfer parts in each of said airpassageways and a part to be heated positioned in said housing outsidesaid air passageways; a combustible fuel burner for heating said heatedpart; a protective structure sealed from both said air passagewaysenclosing said fuel burner and arranged to pass products of combustionof said fuel burner in heating relationship with said heated part ofsaid system, said sealed protective structure including means forconducting air from the exterior of the space to be con-' ditioned tosaid fuel burner and means for discharging waste products of combustionto the exterior of the space to be conditioned in a region havingsubstantially the same air pressure as ,that prevailing at the inlet tosaid means for exterior of the space to be conditioned; a heat operatedrefrigerating system associated with said housing including a coolingdevice in said conditioned air passageway, 21. heat rejecting device insaid exterior air passageway and a part to be heated positioned in saidhousing outside said air passageways; a combustible fuel burner forheating said part to be heated; a protective structure sealed from bothsaid air passageways enclosing said fuel burner and arranged to passproducts of combustion of said fuel burner in heating relationship withsaid heated part of said system, said sealed protective structureincluding means for conducting air from the exterior of the space to beconditioned to said fuel burner and means for discharging waste productsof combustion to the exterior of the space to be conditioned in a,region having substantially the same air pressure as that prevailingv atthe inlet to said means for conducting exterior air to said fuel burner.

'7. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a housing structure includingmeans forming a passageway for air to be conditioned and means forming apassageway for air to and from the exterior of the space to beconditioned; a heat operated absorption refrigerating system associatedwith said housing including an evaporator in one of said airpassageways, a heat rejecting part in the other of said air passageways,and a generator positioned in said housing outside said air passageway;a combustible fuel burner for heating said generator; a protectivestructure sealed from both said air passageways enclosing said fuelburner and arranged to pass products of combustion of said fuel burnerin heating relationship with said generator, said sealed protectivestructure including means for conducting air from the exterior of thespace to be conditioned to said fuel burner and means for dischargingwaste products of combustion to the exterior of the space to beconditioned in a region having substantially the same air pressure asthat prevailing at the inlet to said means for conducting exterior airto said fuel burner.

CURTIS C. COONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweden Oct. 21, 1891

